A half day watching humpback whales in the calm water of Hervey Bay on Whalesong, a 16 metre catamaran that carries no more than 75 guests and is the only half-day whale boat in the bay to include a full meal. Sightings are guaranteed in season: no whales, and you come back free.
Days
- Half day (4 to 5 hours)
Age
- All ages
Group size
- Shared cruise
Start / finish
- Hervey Bay accommodation / Great Sandy Straits Marina, Urangan / Hervey Bay accommodation
Return
- See itinerary for details
Transport
- Courtesy bus, then the 16 metre catamaran Whalesong
Meals
- Morning tea and lunch, or afternoon tea and dinner
Route
Included experiences
- Hervey Bay — watch humpback whales breach and tail-slap
- Hydrophone — listen to the whales sing
- Water-level deck — see the whales close to the surface
- Commentary — K'gari and its Butchulla traditional owners
- Sunset — dinner on the way home on the afternoon cruise
Pictures / Videos
Reviews
5.0
Based on 64 reviews
Verified from
Real reviews from travellers who've done this tour, gathered from around the web and paraphrased.
AI summary of 64 reviews
Travellers consistently praise the crew's friendliness and attentiveness, the frequent and close whale encounters, the spacious boat with good viewing options from multiple locations, and the quality of the food and refreshments provided. What stands out most often is the captain's knowledge and skill in locating whales whilst respecting them, combined with the small passenger numbers that prevent overcrowding and allow everyone good sightings, with many reviewers reporting unforgettable experiences and several noting it was the best whale watching they had done. The most common caveat is that weather conditions or late season timing can affect whale sightings, though crews are noted for handling difficult conditions well and offering rescheduling or alternative dates when rough seas are forecast.
How we collect and publish reviews
Where they come from. Our reviews are gathered from independent review sites and from guests who share feedback with us directly after their trip. They come from people who have actually travelled on the tour. Some longer trips are made up of shorter tours we also sell, run back to back — where a review was written about one of those legs, the review says so.
Why some are edited. Many of our guests travel in their second or third language. Where a review is hard to read, we lightly edit spelling, grammar and punctuation, or paraphrase a sentence for clarity. We never change the rating, the meaning or the sentiment, and we never write a review on a guest's behalf.
Reading the originals. Reviews sourced from public review sites appear there in their original form, and can be read in full at their original source at any time.
An excellent tour, though on the last day of the season we only saw a few whales. Ivan at the front desk, our knowledgeable captain Rod and crew Ben and Florence gave fantastic service. We'll be back in peak season.
A perfect day in Hervey Bay. We couldn't fault the whale watching cruise: the crew, the food, the commentary and of course the whales.
Even late in the season our captain found a very active mother and calf. Great staff and food.
These people really know whale watching, giving you the best experience while respecting the whales. We learned heaps watching them play. Thanks to the Bens and Stephanie.
A great morning. We saw several humpbacks and their calves, the lunch and snacks were nice and the crew were lovely.
A wonderful whale-watching trip from Hervey Bay along the K'gari coast. We saw about 15 whales, some showing off near the boat, with lively calves guarded by their mothers. Excellent captain and crew.
